Relativity’s ‘Valor’ goes boom at B.O.

The $13 million pickup pacing to overperform at $28 million or more

Relativity Media’s “Act of Valor” is in position for box office victory, with the Navy SEALs actioner overperforming Friday at $8-$10 million — a pace that has it gunning for a $28 million weekend and beyond.

Pic’s male-skewing aud could see a bump by weekend’s end, depending on nightly perfs.

Made for roughly $12 million, “Valor” centers on a small group of real-life members of the Navy’s Special Warfare Command, with the SEALs playing themselves in fictional recreations of actual past missions.

Coming in at No. 2 is Lionsgate’s Tyler Perry pic, “Good Deeds,” which is on pace to gross in the mid-to-high teens for the weekend with its $5-7 million Friday.

“Deeds,” budgeted at $15 million, marks a slight downswing in opening figures compared to Perry’s last two films, which grossed $20 million and $25 million opening weekend, respectively, but B.O. analysts insist the “Deeds” dip could be due to African American auds heading to “Safe House.” The Denzel Washington-Ryan Reynolds-starrer is still holding strong at the B.O., with estimates putting the Universal pic in the $12-14 million range for the weekend.

Meanwhile, Oscar nominee “The Artist” has seen an impressive hike in ticket sales, prior to Sunday’s Academy Awards. The Weinstein Company pic, whose theater count expanded from 808 to 986, is on pace for $3.5 million, up 30% from last weekend.

Other B.O. holdovers “Journey 2″ and “The Vow” are also holding very well, with WB’s “Journey 2″ marching towards $12-13 million for the weekend while Screen Gems’ “Vow” should gross roughly $10 million.

Universal’s hippie comedy “Wanderlust,” starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, is hardly off to a groovy start. The David Wain-helmed laffer is on track for $2-3 million Friday and $6-7 million for the weekend. This weekend’s other wide bow, Summit’s “Gone,” is expected to earn around $5 million for the frame.